LAIE--This is becoming more common than not.

For the fourth time in six matches this year, the University of Hawai`i Hilo volleyball team faught into a fifth set, this time rallying from two sets down to defeat BYU-Hawaii 21-25, 25-27, 25-15, 25-21, 15-12 in the Pacific West Conference opener for both schools.

The improbable victory at the George Q. Cannon Activities Center evened UHH's overall record at 3-3, while the Seasiders dropped to 2-8. In UHH's final match at BYU-H (the Seasiders are cutting athletics after this season), they won for the first time since 2009.

Marley Strand-Nicolaisen pounded out 19 kills and Siera Green added 15 to give UHH an offensive 1-2 punch. Strand Nicolaisen also had 14 digs and two aces, both late in the fifth set. 

It might be starting to feel weird to NOT go to five sets. And the Vulcans did it the hardest way this time, falling behind two sets to zero before righting the ship and mounting the comeback.

BYU-H won the first set 25-21, after breaking an 18-18 tie with four straight points. The second set was a marathon that saw the Vuls take a 25-24 lead on a Green ace, but the hosts scored the next three points to seemingly take control of the set and match, 27-25.

But the Vulcans stayed alive with a convincing third set victory, leading from start to finish. A six-point run finished off the set at 25-15, which included a pair of aces by Nohealani Ornellas.

In the fourth, the Vulcans built a huge early lead (15-6), only to see the Seasiders climb back to a 22-20 count. But kills by Armani Moultrie, Strand-Nicolaisen and a BYU-H attack error gave the visitors a 25-21 evener, sending the match to the 15-point fifth set.

Neither team led by more than two points all the way to a 12-11 Seasider lead. But the Vulcans took over from there with four straight points to close the match--a dump kill by setter Sienna Davis, back-to-back aces by Strand-Nicolaisen and a attack error by the Seasiders.

While this was the fourth five-set match for UHH this season, this was the first time that they came back from two sets down to win.

Davis had a monster match with 51 assists, five kills from the setter spot and 13 digs. Trixie Croad led the Vulcans with 22 digs. Sinamoni Tonga had a triple-double for BYU-H with 17 kills, 23 assists and 18 digs.

The Vulcans now return home for another PacWest showdown, this time on Wednesday (Sept. 21) against Hawai`i Pacific. Start time at Vulcan Gymnasium is 7 p.m.